Hatchet



(No Model.) Q

J. C. SCALES.

HATUHETL No. 517.934. Patented Apr. 10 1894.

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V IT E JOHN C. SCALES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HATCHET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\l'o. 517,934, dated April 10, 1894.

Application filed February 1'7, 1894. Serial No. 500,569. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN G. SCALES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hatchets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in hatchets and tools of similar character, and has for its object to provide a hatchet more especially adapted for use in the opening of barrel heads and analogous purposes.

In barrels employed for packing fruits, vegetables, and the like, it is usual to provide for the more secure holdingin position of the barrel head by placing above the head, within the chine, a head lining piece, which is nailed in position and prevents accidental opening of the barrel head during handling or shipping. To remove this lining piece and provide for the more ready removal of the outer hoop or hoops around the upper portion of the barrel, I have devised a tool or implement of simple and economical construction by which the opening of the barrel may be accomplished with ease, facility and dispatch, as more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1 is an elevation of a hatchet made in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the driving head of the same.

The presentinvention is designed to improve the construction of hatchet forming the subject of application for Letters Patent filed by me on the 11th day of April, 1893, under Serial No. 470,387.

In the structure claimed in the above described application, the nail-removing claw or claws were formed directly in the cutting I blade of the hatchet, while in the present instance the cutting blade is left intact and the grooves or notches forming the claw or claws are so placed as to give equally as good or better results in extracting the nail, and, at

the same time, does not interfere with the efficient use of the blade proper.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a hatchet similar in outline to the hatchet of commerce, excepting that the outer end of the cutting blade 2 is somewhat shortened and anangle or face or edge 3 is formed, extending from the end of the cutting blade to a point on the end of the hatchet some distance above such blade. The face or edge thus formed is provided with one or more claws or recesses 4, 4, placed at a convenient distance above the blade and forming a claw or recess which engages with the 'head of the nail.

I have found in using the ordinary crossgrooved or out hatchet or hammer head to remove the exterior hoops from the upper portion of the barrel, that the hoops are in some instances clamped or mutilated to such an extent that the hoop cannot be again readily utilized, yet in reheading the barrels it is desirable to retain a driving head of this charactor to prevent the slipping of the hatchet head from the nail in driving the latter through the hoop. To still retain this grooved or serrated head and, at the same time, prevent the mutilation of the hoop, I make the inner portion of the head perfectly smooth, as shown at 6 in Fig. 2, while the remainder, preferably about one-half of the head area, is grooved. The inner portion of the head is always used in the removal of the hoops and being smooth will to a great extent prevent the mutilation of the latter, while the advantages to be gained from a grooved or serrated nail-driving head are still retained. In my application hereinbefore referred to, this combined, smooth, and grooved or serrated surface is illustrated as disposed with smooth portions at each edge of the head and a grooved or serrated central portion, but I find that as only the inner portion of the head is utilized to remove the hoops that all of the outer portion may be grooved or serrated as above described, and the available area for nail-driving purposes be materially enlarged and, at the same time, the efficiency of the hatchet head be increased.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patpoint on the front edge of the hatchet, at a cut, is' distance above such cutting blade, there be- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a ing on said edge one or more notches or claws hatchet having at its outer or front portion a for readily extracting nails, substantially as :5 5 face or edge extending at an angle to the cutdescribed.

ting blade and provided with one or more In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in notches or openings forminga nail-removing presence of two witnesses.

claw, substantially as described. JOHN G. SCALES.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a Witnesses: 1o hatchet having a face or edge extending at an HARRY Y. DAVIS,

angle from the end of the cutting blade to a WILL W. DOUGLAS. 

